Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Balance Is A Process

In the middle of spooky season a game came out that took me away from scary games for a bit. I took my time with this piece because I loved that game so much and needed some time to process it. I also just very much wanted to play a lot of horror games and like every year, I didn’t get the chance to play as much as I wanted. Work always gets in the way. Well work and, of course, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Sequels Sometimes Get It Right

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 takes place after the events of both the first game and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. This game brings everything the first two games have to offer, presents it to you in stunning visuals, and even builds upon all of it. To say that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is a good game would be a huge understatement.

I have been a long time fan of both Sony and Insomniac and I can remember back to the good old Spyro days. It is amazing to see how much technology has improved. Gone are the days of pixelated graphics, unless they are chosen as an artistic decision. Instead, we can swing around all of New York City as our favorite web-slinger. Is yours Peter or Miles? Mine’s Miles, but more on that later.

This latest entry in the Spider-Man franchise is just stellar. I had a difficult time putting this one down and even after I did, I found myself picking it back up just to feel the game again. In fact when I went to download my screenshot for this piece I played a little bit. Everything you do in this game is so satisfying from swinging around the city to beating up baddies. The game is a perfect example of what the PS5 and DualSense controller are capable of.

Two For The Price Of One

I think my favorite thing about this game is the fact that at any given moment I can switch between Peter and Miles. Granted they have their own missions and objectives to complete so you’ll get quality time with each of them, but if you just feel like switching it up you can. This definitely meant that, for me, I was playing as Miles as much as possible. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy Peter but Miles is just so refreshing. I realize that’s just my opinion though.

Throughout the game, both heroes will be given their own side quests, objectives and even main missions. While I felt the main missions were Peter heavy, it makes sense given that he is the older and more experienced hero. Each Spider-Man also has their own skill tree as well as a shared one, giving the player three skill trees to work on. On top of that each hero has their own abilities to choose from as well. Miles has his Venom powers and Peter has his symbiote powers.

As you fill out the skill trees the heroes really do start to feel different. Miles still has a bit of sloppiness in his animations as he is still learning the ropes a bit. Peter is more refined of course, but neither really affects their gameplay. Instead it is more like subtle nuances between the two of them.

Fight As One

Throughout the game you’ll be fighting a lot of bad guys as you would expect. However this time around, you won’t be alone on the battlefield. As the story progresses, certain characters may show up and help you out while you stop crimes. On the other hand, they may already be there when you show up. This made the game feel that much more alive and like you really weren’t the only Spider on the case anymore.

Combat in this game is better than ever before. Not only does this game offer you the differences between both heroes but each of the heroes have quite a few abilities to learn. Find the ones that suit your playstyle and have a great time out there. Combos are fluid and everything flows together so beautifully. Even the abilities don’t interrupt combat or combos, allowing you to really explore combinations to your heart’s content.

The big moments in the game are huge and feel really impactful. Honestly, some of my favorite moments in the game happen during these moments. You have a bit more control here then just button pressing so it feels like you are right in the action. The pacing is perfect too, offering a mixture of really intense missions and some that aren’t as intense. It is a great blend that lets you breathe without losing interest.

Miles and Peter

I felt that the relationship between these two heroes was what really sold the game for me. This game definitely pushed them to their limits but watching it all unfold had me at the edge of my seat. I adore both heroes, even if I love Miles more, so to see either in pain was hard to watch. That’s the thing about being a hero though, things aren’t always easy. This game does a great job portraying them at their best and at their worst.

Outside of their relationship, they each have their own friend groups to keep up with. Each of their friends supported the story beautifully and everything was well-written. I really enjoyed all of the humor throughout the game but it was serious when it needed it be. I also really respected the fact that the game balanced time between the two heroes fairly well. As I mentioned above, I do feel like many of the main missions were for Peter but that was to be expected.

Each Spider was expanded upon well though, leaving the future bright for this franchise. In fact, I very much hope to see more of these games in the future, especially with Miles. Until then though, Sony has 3 solid Spider-Games under their umbrella, all of which are better than the majority of Spider-Man games made in the past.